Scott Pelley, Fired From '60 Minutes,' Signs With Talent Agency CAA
Scott Pelley is preparing for his next professional chapter after departing 60 Minutes.
Scott Pelley has signed with CAA after departing 60 Minutes, ending a 37-year career at CBS News.
The veteran broadcast journalist has officially signed with Creative Artists Agency (CAA) for representation, The Hollywood Crave has confirmed. The move comes shortly after Pelley’s departure from the long-running CBS newsmagazine in early June, a development that generated national attention.
Michele Crowe/CBS News via Getty Images
CAA will represent Pelley across all areas as the longtime correspondent and author explores opportunities beyond CBS News. Pelley spent 37 years with the network. Notably, his former 60 Minutes colleague and longtime friend, Lesley Stahl, is also represented by CAA.
Pelley's exit followed a highly publicized dispute involving 60 Minutes' new executive producer, Nick Bilton. During an internal network town hall on June 1, Pelley sharply criticized Bari Weiss, CBS News' editor-in-chief, who joined the company in October last year after being hired by Paramount executive David Ellison.
During the meeting, Pelley said Weiss' actions at the network were equivalent to “murdering 60 Minutes. She does not love this place; she was brought in to kill it and is doing exactly that.”
Pelley also questioned Bilton's qualifications, describing his experience at Vanity Fair and The New York Times as consisting of “slender qualifications.”
Bilton responded to employees the following day, stating that Pelley “hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt. I welcome a diversity of viewpoints and respectful debate among the team, but this was nothing of the sort.”
Before his departure, Pelley was among the leading correspondents at 60 Minutes. Throughout his tenure, he reported from conflict zones including Afghanistan and Ukraine while conducting interviews with prominent figures such as former FBI Director James Comey, President Joe Biden and Pope Francis.
In a farewell message to staff, Pelley reflected on the legacy of the program, writing, “60 has been the number-one program in America for decades because our beloved audience finds integrity, quality, and humanity in our stories. Now, the new owner of our network is casting this legend aside, apparently to curry a moment of favor with the Trump administration.”
